As the cost of the Long Island Railroad continues to rise, customers say they feel let down by the system’s cost, service and convenience.

From 2007 to 2017, monthly pass ticket fares from Mineola to Penn Station have increased by 31.8 percent while commuters say trains regularly run late, are overcrowded and are not as clean as they had been in previous years. The LIRR, which is the primary transportation option on Long Island, has undergone these routine fare hikes over the past decade. The most recent fare hike, declared in March 2017, raised costs by approximately 4 percent. It expires in 2019.

Riders Forced to Choose

For many Long Island commuters, the rising costs of public transportation have left them with few options when traveling. These options, customers say, force the rider to choose amongst cost, service and convenience each time they plan their commute.

Several Long Island residents have spoken out against the increase in public transportation prices as the comfort of privately owned vehicles becomes increasingly more evadable for middle class workers.

“I just bought my LIRR ticket for both ways, and I couldn’t believe it was $17.50,” said Sarah Reddy, 24, a Stony Brook University medical student and Nassau County resident. Since high school, Reddy has relied on the train system to get from her home to Manhattan.

“The thing with the LIRR is that it’s so expensive,” Reddy said. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous, and I was outraged when I bought my tickets just now. It was definitely cheaper in high school, and I could’ve gotten into the city and back for only about 12 bucks.”

For many students, the commute from home to school is often too expensive, forcing them to utilize private transportation.

‘There’s really no other option, but convenience definitely matters and needs to be improved.’

“I feel like the LIRR tickets are pretty high, so I feel like that could be lowered a little,” said Ashley Noble, 21, a biology student in her junior year at Queens College. Noble prefers the reliability of her own private vehicle.

“I don’t use Long Island transportation that much, but it’s definitely more cost effective for me to drive to school,” Noble said. “In a situation where I would have to rely on public transportation, I’d definitely be disappointed. I don’t really like having to rely on a busing system or a system like the LIRR ever, because it’s just such a huge hassle.”

‘At Least Keep Our Trains Cleaner’

Some riders say they would be happy to pay extra for a cleaner service. Given the rising prices of the LIRR and MTA bus system, customers would like to see a step up in maintenance and customer service.

“It’s already bad enough that the train system is so dirty,” said Jonathan Orejaela, 23, a Long Island resident and an associate manager at Regal Entertainment Group. His commute from his home to his job in the city, he says, is often made unpleasant due to the garbage that litters the trains. “I’ll be okay with paying that extra price–whatever they push it up to–but at least keep our trains cleaner.”

Convenience Impacted by Delays

With each year, customers are also becoming increasingly unsatisfied with the convenience of the LIRR as accidents and delays occur with increasing frequency.

According to a 2017 report by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, LIRR trains are only considered late if they have not arrived at their final destination within five minutes and 59 seconds of their scheduled arrival time. As a result, few trains are actually considered late each year, but many customers find the policy to have a significantly negative impact on the service’s convenience.

“The delays are terrible, and I’m always late to work,” Orejaela said. “Every week I buy a seven-day pass. The monthly pass is better, but you only save five or six dollars, and I’d rather keep that extra money for the month.”

Hey, @LIRR, just some math, in April 2017 you raised my fare 4%, since then, on an almost daily basis, you've shorted my train by two cars, that's a 20% reduction in service. #fixthelirr#governmentmath

Reddy also agreed that MTA should make a better effort to reduce delays and make the LIRR a more timely transportation option. “I’ve lived in Nassau County almost my whole life, but given the opportunity, I would still take the LIRR,” she said. “There’s really no other option, but convenience definitely matters and needs to be improved.”

After several attempts to contact an MTA representative, the Long Island Report received no formal response. Aaron Donovan, the deputy communications director for MTA, said that the press office did not have a comment prepared. However, Donovan has noted that there is no fare increase planned for the upcoming year.

After years of negotiating, Suffolk County has finally embraced the trend of shopping with reusable bags.

With plastic bags now costing five cents each in 2018, shoppers will have to adjust their approach at grocery, convenient, liquor, clothing, and home good stores.

Suffolk County Legislator William R. Spencer, who was the main driving force behind this change said in a statement that the main reason for this was to “reduce the bag waste that is generated by the 10 billion single-use carryout bags consumed annually in New York.”

In addition to Legislator Spencer’s comments, Legislator Tom Cilmi provided his reasoning for this environmental law, via email, saying “The intent of the bill’s sponsor was to reduce the use of so-called single-use bags, predominantly plastic bags, which find their way into our trees and bushes, into our parks, beaches and waters, and reportedly have a devastating impact on marine life.”

Despite fees being placed on each plastic bag, the objective isn’t aimed to hurt consumers’ pockets, but to encourage shoppers to use reuseable bags. Brian Heyman, a Suffolk County resident, took note.

First time grocery shopping in Suffolk County since the plastic bag fee took effect. Nearly every shopper had one or more reusable bag.

“Our goal has always been to change public behavior and provide an incentive for shoppers to bring their own bag,” Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment said. “We don’t want anyone to pay a nickel, we want people to please remember to take those reusable bags out of the trunk and bring them into the store.”

Early Fee Feedback

According to the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, a survey conducted before the law was put into motion, showed that over 70 percent of shoppers used single-use bags.

Even though the fee was implemented just over a month ago, several supermarket chains are seeing as much as an 80 percent reduction in plastic bag consumption.

“People are using a lot less bags than before, that’s the difference,” said Bay Shore Stop and Shop Manager Jonathan Schindel. “People are bringing in their own bags and boxes for groceries.”

While there are many people in favor of the new environmental law, the idea of being charged per bag has enraged several Suffolk County shoppers.

“[The plastic bag fee] only affects the lower class, who might not be able to buy many groceries because of the five cents adding up.”

“I feel that the tax is intrusive and doesn’t stop people from using them, or pollution,” Dylan Sandas, a resident of Suffolk County said. “It only affects the lower class, who might not be able to buy many groceries because of the five cents adding up.”

According to the Suffolk County government website, all fees collected as a result of the tax will be retained by the store, which has raised many questions.

So Suffolk County charges 5 cents per plastic bag at the store because it's not environmentally friendly which I understand, but why get of the brown bags that are actually recyclable? Seems like more of a money making scheme then a true conservation effort.

“We have received many complaints from angry consumers, and a number of valid questions and concerns have come to light,” Legislator Tom Cilmi said. “For example, why do retailers get to keep the money and wouldn’t it be more appropriate to use the money for environmental purposes?

Legislator Cilmi also alluded to additional laws coming in the future, but made it clear that the current law has resulted in significantly reduced single-use bags.

The History of Plastic Bag Fees

In order to produce the 100 million plastic bags that the U.S. consumes every year, it requires 2.2 billion pounds of fossil fuel and 3.9 billion gallons of fresh water, according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

Plastic bags also make up 10 percent of the debris that washes up on U.S. coastlines.

The number of Americans subject to a plastic bag fee has steadily increased in the past decade. Data: Earth Policy Institute

Although placing a fee on plastic bags is new to Suffolk County, there are numerous states and cities in the United States taking action.

Not only did California become the first state in America to place a ban on plastic bags, but they even enforce a 10 cent fee on shoppers who don’t use reusable bags.

There are six cities in the U.S. that have plastic bag bans, including Los Angeles and Seattle, as well as six counties that incorporate fees.

“Do we at Stop and Shop want to charge customers? No,” said Schindel. “It just depends how you look at it, because it also does help the environment.”

President Donald Trump called them “animals.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said “They must be stopped.” As details of gruesome murders continue to ring through Long Island, and law enforcement continues to crack down, the El Salvadoran group known as MS-13 continues to grow in national notoriety. With the ongoing threat facing Long Island, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini has created a gang task team to combat the crisis.

Long Island Impact

In the wake of more than two dozen MS-13 slayings on Long Island in the last two years, the Suffolk County’s DA office announced a team of prosecutors and investigators devoted to fighting the issue.

Sini told reporters the new team allows a “centralized depot for gang crimes that was lacking under the previous regime.” Before being elected in 2017, the DA said he heard many Suffolk residents complain about the lack of prosecution the county had to combat gang violence.

According to Newsday, the task force will be comprised of 14 members and led by prosecutor Christina McSloy, who worked with the Nassau gang prosecution team in the past.

Part of the task force also includes charging alleged gang members for non-gang related crimes. Sini said this part of the initiative “allows us to make sure that no one’s slipping through the cracks.”

According to information gathered by the Center for Immigration Studies, there have been 43 arrests since 2012.

Ryan Miller, a Ronkonkoma native, said the issue of MS-13 is “a huge one on the island, especially in Suffolk County.” A frequent traveler to and from New York City on the Long Island Railroad, Miller says it can be frightening when taking a train to eastern Long Island during the early morning hours. “One time I had to take a train from the city at around 2:30 in the morning, and that late they make you get off the train in Brentwood and take buses to Ronkonkoma,” he said. “Trying to navigate Brentwood train station alone at that hour wasn’t fun.”

“Gang Task forces seem to be more susceptible to corruption.”

While Miller and many Suffolk residents support the idea of having a gang task team to prosecute possible gang members, some caution that it could run inefficiently. Craig Burnett, a political science professor at Hofstra University, cautions that similar task forces in the past were not successful in accomplishing their goals. “Gang task forces seem to be more susceptible to corruption, ” Burnett said.

We reached out to Suffolk County Police Department but did not receive a statement on how they believe the task force will run.

National Impact

Burnett also says that despite the national spotlight being cast on MS-13 and other gangs, he does not think Trump’s rhetoric has direct correlation with this new task force.

According to information gathered by the FBI from 2008, MS-13 operates in 42 states and has thousands of members.

States impacted by gang activity. Data: Center for Immigration Studies

The Center for Immigration Studies also provides data of the number of MS-13 members arrested from each state.

Nationwide MS-13 arrest. Source: Center for Immigration Studies

While Burnett argues that Trump’s anti-illegal immigration rhetoric did not have a direct impact on Tim Sini’s gang initiative, the number of MS-13 members arrested under the Trump Administration has significantly risen.

The president brought more attention to the ongoing issue by showcasing Long Island families that have been impacted by MS-13 during his first State of the Union Address. Trump pushed his anti-illegal immigration agenda by inviting two families from Brentwood whose daughters were brutally murdered by the gang several years ago. The emotional moment captured the true impact that this gang has taken on some in the community.

Long Island continues to be overrun by the flu, leaving thousands of people in both Nassau and Suffolk County infected. Nationwide, 97 pediatric deaths have been attributed to the flu. Although deaths are down from last year, overall flu activity is higher than past seasons.

Flu on Long Island

On Long Island, the health community is taking this season’s onset seriously.

The number of flu cases has continued to rise each week in Nassau while Suffolk County has been stable. The Nassau County Health Department made an effort to help the community by offering free flu shot clinics. The department’s last of three opportunities was on February 15 at the Yes We Can Center in Westbury. Laurain stated that over 3,000 residents were vaccinated at the clinics.

Although the Health Department’s program has ended, they are still trying to make a difference by helping other medical organizations.

“Any sort of public announcement to reach people is the best way to help,” said Laurain.

The Health Department donated pediatric and adult vaccines to South Nassau Communities Hospital to help aid their work.

SOURCE: ny.health.gov

Impact on Children

Laurain stated that her organization reached out to schools to advise children to get vaccinated.

During most flu seasons, children under four years of age are near the top of the list with highest levels of infection and hospitalization rates. Surprisingly, these figures are down along with the mortality rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Long Island, however, the number of children infected with the flu has increased.

Karen E, the office manager at RBK Pediatrics in Commack, Long Island, who only wanted to have her last initial used for confidentiality reasons, said her office has seen an increase of “75 percent” in flu patients this year.

She stated that this year’s flu strains are worse than past years and that what is happening is not normal.

She added that young children may be vulnerable to the flu because they frequently put their hands in their mouths and before washing them go on to touch other children.

Impact on Senior Citizens

On a national level, people are being hospitalized with the flu at a rate of 74.5 per 100,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This rate greatly increases to 322 per 100,000 for people age 65 and older.

The Town of Hempstead has 15 senior centers, with residents over 55 years of age. Knowing that flu symptoms can have a particularly severe impact on seniors, Mary Elizabeth Wetterau, a field representative at Town of Hempstead Department of Senior Enrichment, tries to stay a step ahead.

“We give the seniors info and advice them on getting flu shots. We try to be as proactive as possible,” said Wetterau.

The Senior Enrichment Department oversees all 15 senior centers and holds free flu shot clinics as early as October.

Flu Vaccine

The effectiveness of the flu vaccine this season has not been as high as past seasons. Almost two-thirds of confirmed flu cases have been influenza A. Of these cases, over 75% involve the H3N2 virus. The vaccine has been less effective against this strain than the other influenza A types.

“It has not peaked yet. We’re still urging people to get vaccinated”

SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

New York State

Every state except Hawaii and Oregon have had extensive flu activity. New York has had its worst flu season in over five years. The state has had an unprecedented number of cases and hospitalizations.

Data via ny.health.gov

Data via ny.health.gov

The data shows that this has been an abnormal flu season in New York. As bad as it’s been, it’s possible that the season hasn’t reached its peak yet and that the flu isn’t disappearing any time soon.

A frisbee, two plastic trash cans and pediatric cancer, all brought together through one thing, the Anders Lee Kancer Jam. On February 19th, following the conclusion of the New York Islanders game against the Minnesota Wild, Islanders forward Anders Lee hosted his 2nd annual Kancer Jam Kan Jam event. Kan Jam, the backyard lawn game designed around a frisbee and two plastic trash cans has gone from leisure time activity to a platform for humanitarianism. Lee thinks it is so special to see the Islanders community come together. “It really is so awesome–the Islanders community, the guys in the room and the organization being able to have the support that we have had and be able to put on an event like this, it’s a special night,” he said.

“It means so much to have somebody so high up there with fame, that cares about the little guy. He cares about the people that are less fortunate than him, and that means so much to me.”

Hockey players are often revered as some of the toughest athletes in the entire world. The toughest person Anders Lee knows doesn’t play hockey, but instead every day he fights for his life. Fenov Pierre-Louis, a 16-year old boy who was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma seven years ago, has been the inspiration for Lee to launch the Anders Lee Kancer Jam Kan Jam event. Pierre-Louis is grateful to see the power of the Islanders community at work. “It’s inspiring to me to see so many people come together for a noble cause,” he said. “It means so much to me as a cancer survivor to see all these people coming together, and raising money.”

The 16-year old also praised the Islanders forward for all he has done for him. “It means so much to have somebody so high up there with fame, that cares about the little guy. He cares about the people that are less fortunate than him, and that means so much to me,” he said.

Although he is still fighting cancer, Pierre-Louis doesn’t let that negativity bog him down. “I try to never let that take me down, regardless if I’m feeling bad, to have optimism, that’s what gets me through day to day,” he said.

Lee’s teammates have also taken notice of his impact on the community. “[It] says a lot about him. Obviously a great career so far, big part of our team, but a lot of off the ice work that people don’t get to see that guys do, and Anders is one of the biggest leaders of that,” said teammate Brock Nelson. “It’s special to see someone like that stick to his roots close to home.”

Even a young rookie in Mathew Barzal has taken notice of the impact his teammate’s event has had on the community. “A lot of respect for what he is doing here,” Barzal said. “It’s been a lot of fun and everything is going to charity, which is great.”

Sebastian Aho, Defenseman for the Islanders, connects back with the fans by signing autographs for young fans in attendance. Credit: Ryan Connell

An interactive tournament format that partnered an Islander with a fan, merged the gap between professional athlete and loyal supporter. Both Anders Lee and Josh Bailey feel that this type of event is a perfect way to connect back with the fans.

“You are not just at a meet and greet saying ‘Hi and Goodbye’. You get to actually know the guys and the guys get to know the fans and create relationships, that’s what makes our Islanders community so special,” said Anders Lee.

“This is a perfect way to do it, everyone is just out here having a good time, and it is our way (as players) of putting time in with the fans and the people who donated their time and money to come out and support,” stated Josh Bailey.

One pairing of player and fan, saw young Islanders fan Brady, play with his favorite player Mathew Barzal. The 8-year-old was overjoyed at the chance to participate. “Oh I loved it,” Brady said. “It was amazing getting to not only go to the hockey game, but then stick around after and get to play with my favorite team, it was great.”

Cancer is a prevalent part of the world we know today. Fenov Pierre-Louis had a message on how people can help the fight against cancer. “It’s not always money,” he said. “Even just the efforts that you can do in helping to organize, or even just to volunteer to work events like these, that’s what really matters.”

An event that topped over $100,000 dollars in donations, saw lots of smiles, laughs, and positivity. Kan Jam, a simple leisure time activity often played in a backyard, has turned into a platform of charity, devoted to the betterment of trying to help those who fight the hardest fight of them all, the fight for their life.